To comply with federal law, the District employs several methods of Internet content filtering and monitoring. However, no Internet content filtering system can be fully effective in preventing access to harmful and inappropriate material. With global access to computers and people, there is a risk that students may access material that may not be considered to be of educational value in the context of the school setting. Students receive instruction, appropriate to their age, regarding strategies to avoid the inadvertent access of inappropriate material and what to do if they accidentally access such material.

Users will not use District resources to view or otherwise gain access to potentially objectionable materials. This includes text materials, video, images, or sound files that may be considered objectionable in an educational setting. If students mistakenly access inappropriate information, they should immediately disclose this access to their teacher or other supervising staff member. If a student finds that other users are visiting offensive or harmful sites, she/he should report such use to her/his supervising teacher.

However, it should be clearly understood that no filtering regimen can be fully effective. There are times when filtering may not catch a new website, and there are ways to bypass any filtering. Vigilance, care, and guidance should always be used, especially when students are using Internet resources in the classroom.

Questions

What computers does the content filter protect? By law, ALL connections made from within the District to any Internet resource is filtered. This includes student traffic, staff traffic, and any users on our "guest" wireless network.

As a receiver of Federal E-Rate monies, Uinta County School District #1 must by law provide Internet content filtering to any and all connections made from our school district network, and from any devices we own. We receive our E-Rate funds from the Wyoming State government, who has provided us with a physical network appliance that filters Internet traffic (ours is provided by Lightspeed, a company specializing in filtering).

What content is automatically filtered by the District? Sites we block and/or filter are divided into three categories:

• Sites we must block: Federal requirements state that sites categorized as adult and pornography must be blocked for all educational users (students and staff). In Lightspeed we block everything with an adult.x category.
• Sites we should block: We choose to block additional categories such as email spam, security and malware, “parked” network domains, and peer-to-peer traffic. We also choose to block proxy/VPN sites and services that would allow savvy students to bypass content filtering by using an offsite service as a “stand-in” for their Internet requests. These sites are not required to be blocked, but are considered undesirable for security.
• Sites we choose to block: These vary by school level, but are generally considered time-wasters, waste of network bandwidth, and/or undesirable in an educational setting. These include alcohol, drugs, gambling, “offensive,” some streaming music and video hosting sites, and sites allowing the posting of anonymous comments, chat, and bullying.

How do we accomplish content filtering? We employ several content filtering methods:

• Every device connecting within our network – wired device, secure wireless, or guest wireless – that generates Internet traffic must pass through our Lightspeed content filter. The filtering appliance applies filtering rules depending on what school the traffic came from, what user, and what time of day. Sites are categorized by Lightspeed and their database is updated daily. This is a “passive” filtering that works no matter who owns the device, it watches all traffic.
• For student one-to-one Chromebooks, an additional filtering solution named Secur.ly is in place. Secur.ly filters all traffic on a Chromebook, even if that Chromebook is used outside of the network boundaries (at home, at the public library, etc). E-Rate requires us to provide filtering to student-issued devices that we own, no matter where they may be used. This is an “active” agent that is installed on every Chromebook and cannot be turned off (and students sure have been trying).
• YouTube Safety Mode is turned on for all GAFE users, and all traffic that comes in and out of the district network. Safety Mode will not show videos that are from personal accounts and/or not tagged with relevant categories (such as news, education, etc). FYI, we receive numerous complaints about Safety Mode being overprotective and blocking valid educational content.
• Also on our guest wireless network, we use a “DNS scrubber” that will not resolve network addresses for websites in many of the same categories as above. This is an additional piece that is used just for guest traffic.

If a student brings their own device, is Internet access to that device filtered? If a student (or any other guest) is using the school's "guest" wireless connection, then yes the content is filtered. However, a growing number of students who possess smartphones with a third-party Internet connection (i.e. Verizon or Union) have their own connection to the Internet, and thus bypass District protection.

Does the District filter sexually explicit material? Yes, we do to the best of our ability.

Does the District filter LGBTQ material? Of course not.

Are students allowed to "override" the filter? No.

Are staff allowed to "override" the filter? We currently do not allow personal overrides. However, we will evaluate and “whitelist” any website that has been incorrectly categorized by Lightspeed. This happens a bit, and we work very positively with teachers when legitimate websites are miscategorized to fix them quickly.

What can I do at home for content filtering on my own device? The District cannot recommend or endorse specific software or services.

As a district we are trying continually increase our communication with stakeholders. One of the latest questions to arise has to do with “why” as a district we have chosen to go 1:1. This wasn’t a rash decision made within the last couple of months as a way to create a tech rich environment to showcase our district as a 1:1 district. Instead, this idea of going 1:1 has been a topic of conversation and planning for the past 4 years. For the past 8 years the number of devices made available for students use in the classroom has increased each year. The past 3 years we have been close to providing 1 device for every 2 students. They have been using these devices to access intervention and enrichment digital software that provide an educational resource to meet the demands of the curriculum for our students.

Each year Jaraun Dennis Chief Technology Officer for the district has presented to the board a strategic plan and as part of that plan shared with the board the progress that has been made in advancing the district toward 1:1. He has spent time working with both staff and students the past three years instructing around the instructional strategy of blended learning and how that begins to meet the needs of every child as well as in depth training on the Google apps for Education.

The district then began a pilot with 70 students at Horizon High school back in 2014 handing each one of them a chromebook to start implementing the training and the digital tools that were available. In 2015 the district purchased 800 additional chromebooks where Davis middle school extended the pilot with 7th and 8th grade and the rest of the chromebooks were infused into the elementaries and high school. In the Spring to 2016 with the chromebooks that had been previously purchased and working within the current technology budget it was determined that the funding would be available to go 1:1 6-12. As final numbers came in for pricing and some additional cost saving within the district technology budget it was determined by Mr. Dennis that every student 4-12 could have a chromebook and still allow for 10 devices in all Kindergarten through 3rd classrooms. This was reported to the board in the end of June and all elementary principals received an email with this information contingent still on the approval of the 2016-2017 school budget in July.

The district started parent meetings in the spring posted information on both the district website and district facebook page. Letters were sent out to all secondary students and elementary principals shared information at back to school and held sessions just for parents in regards to the roll out of chromebooks for the 4th and 5th graders. The curriculum department then posted on facebook about how each elementary would roll it out according to their timeline and how and when they felt their students would be ready.

As a point of clarification just because the district is offering this you still have a parental right as outlined in the chromebook policy to have the chromebook remain at school for the evening, weekend, and or summer. This was a choice parent had on the signature page that each student and parent signed.

Finally students will have these devices for three years after which they will become the students personal property and be issues a new one for the next three years. This opportunity will require each student each year to pay $20 device fee.

As a district we are trying continually increase our communication with stakeholders. One of the latest questions to arise has to do with “why” as a district we have chosen to go 1:1.  This wasn’t a rash decision made within the last couple of months as a way to create a tech rich environment to showcase our district as a 1:1 district.   Instead, this idea of going 1:1 has been a topic of conversation and planning for the past 4 years. For the past 8 years the number of devices made available for students use in the classroom has increased each year. The past 3 years we have been close to providing 1 device for every 2 students.  They have been using these devices to access intervention and enrichment digital software that provide an educational  resource to meet the demands of the curriculum for our students.

Each year Jaraun Dennis Chief Technology Officer for the district has presented to the board a strategic plan and as part of that plan shared with the board the progress that has been made in advancing the district toward 1:1.  He has spent  time working  with both staff and students the past three years instructing around the instructional strategy of blended learning and how that begins to meet the needs of every child as well as in depth training on the Google apps for Education.

The district then began a pilot with 70 students at Horizon High school back in 2014 handing each one of them a chromebook to start implementing the training and the digital tools that were available.  In 2015 the district purchased 800 additional chromebooks where Davis middle school extended the pilot with 7th and 8th grade and the rest of the chromebooks were infused into the elementaries and high school.  In the Spring to 2016 with the chromebooks that had been previously purchased and working within the current technology budget it was determined that the funding would be available to go 1:1 6-12.  As final numbers came in for pricing and some additional cost saving within the district technology budget it was determined by Mr. Dennis that every student 4-12 could have a chromebook and still allow for 10 devices in all Kindergarten through 3rd classrooms.  This was reported to the board in the end of June and all elementary principals received an email with this information contingent still on the approval of the 2016-2017 school budget in July.

The district started parent meetings in the spring posted information on both the district website and district facebook page.  Letters were sent out to all secondary students and elementary principals shared information at back to school and held sessions just for parents in regards to the roll out of chromebooks for the 4th and 5th graders.  The curriculum department then posted on facebook about how each elementary would roll it out according to their timeline and how and when they felt their students would be ready.

As a point of clarification just because the district is offering this you still have a parental right as outlined in the chromebook policy to have the chromebook remain at school for the evening, weekend, and or summer. This was a choice parent had on the signature page that each student and parent signed.

Finally students will have these devices for three years after which they will become the students personal property and be issues a new one for the next three years. This opportunity will require each student each year to pay $20 device fee.

Chrome U

Google Apps (GAFE)

Dear Parent or Guardian,

You are being asked to sign a new Internet Use Agreement form. In an effort to summarize a 63-page document into a more concise format, we are sending this letter to give you information about the new technology use policy of Uinta County School District #1. Please consider the following information as you sign with your student. There are restrictions & student/parent responsibilities in each of these areas:

• Safety of students/information that can be obtained on website • Safe & appropriate use of electronic mail privileges • Confidentiality responsibilities of user ID information & passwords • Use of district resources for personal gain or non-educational use • Viewing of obscene or pornographic information • Viewing/changing or attempting unauthorized access • Misusing or disrupting the technology system in any way • Use or loading of only district approved software • Using/viewing anything related to violence or harassment • Facilitating/causing any damage to UCSD#1 technology property in any way

A copy of this agreement is included in the school handbook or first day packet. Additional copies of the Student Technology and Internet Use Agreement are available from the Uinta County School District #1 website or a copy can be reviewed by asking in the office of every school in the school district.

We thank you for your cooperation & help with your student’s education.

Tech Use Student Agreement Cover

Tech Use Student Agreement

Parent Tech Ltr (not policy)

Media Release Cover

Media Release

Querido padre o guardian,

Se le esta pidiendo que firme un Acuerdo para el Uso del Internet nuevo. Le estamos enviando esta carta para darle informacíon acerca de la nueva poliza sobre el uso de la tecnologia en el distrito escolar #1 del condado de Uinta, ya que el documento original contiene 63 paginas. Favor de considerar la siguiente informacíon cuando firma el acuerdo junto con su estudiante. Hay restricciones y responsabilidades para los padres y los estudiantes en cada uno de esos areas:

• La seguridad de los estudiantes/la informacíon que se puede obtener en la red • El uso seguro y apropriado del correo electronico • Las responsabilidades sobre la confidencialidad de los nombres y contrasenas • El uso de los recursos del distrito escolar por razones que no son educativas • Ver informacíon no apropriada o pornografica • Ver/cambiar o tratar de cambiar el aceso • El uso no apropriado del sistema tecnologico • El uso de programas de computacion debe ser limitado a los programas aprobados por el distrito escolar • Ver informacíon violenta o sobre el acoso • Causar danos a la propriedad tecnologica del distrito escolar #1 del condado de Uinta

Puede encontrar una copia de este acuerdo en el guia escolar o el paquete de informacíon que se manda a la casa el primer dia de clases. Copias adicionales del Acuerdo para el Uso del Internet y el Acuerdo Estudiantil Tecnologica están disponibles en el sitio web del distrito escolar #1 del condado de Uinta o en las oficinas de cualquiera escuela del distrito escolar.

Le damos las gracias por su cooperacion y ayuda en la educacion de su estudiante.

• Media Release (Spanish)
• Media Release Cover (Spanish)
• Parent Tech Ltr (not policy) (Spanish)
• Tech Use Student Agreement (Spanish)
• Tech Use Student Agreement Cover (Spanish)

Uinta County School District #1 shares student data with various outside agencies, vendors, and service providers. Data is shared in accordance with applicable State and Federal law, and is shared to further the district’s educational goals.

This page describes how the District handles issues of student privacy and how we comply with certain regulations such as FERPA and COPPA.

FERPA – Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

FERPA prohibits the school district, and those services that we contractually enter into agreements with, from disclosing personally identifiable information from students’ education records without the consent of a parent or eligible student, unless an exception to FERPA’s general consent rule applies, The general consent exceptions require a school to provide certain privacy protections for those education records that it does maintain, either onsite or offsite.

Google Apps for Education is fully compliant with FERPA, as are the numerous other services we contractually use, such as PowerSchool, IXL Learning, DreamBox, Amplify (online language arts curriculum), HMH McGraw Hill (used by 6-12 students) and Canvas.

In the specific case of Google Apps for Education, this comes from our usage agreement:

The parties acknowledge that (a) Customer Data may include personally identifiable information from education records that are subject to FERPA (“FERPA Records”); and (b) to the extent that Customer Data includes FERPA Records, Google will be considered a “School Official” (as that term is used in FERPA and its implementing regulations) and will comply with FERPA.

There is absolutely no advertising, user tracking, or user data monitoring with Google Apps for Education. All data in Google Apps for Education is owned solely by the school district and it is totally unviewable by Google, even though they host the platform. Note that “standard” Google Apps in a personal account, or Google Apps for Business, does not comply with FERPA.

COPPA – Children's Online Privacy Protection Act

COPPA applies to commercial companies and limits their ability to collect personal information from children under 13. Only for-profit websites can violate COPPA. A school district cannot violate COPPA because we a not a for-profit website nor do we offer for-profit services. However, we are cognizant of the requirements of COPPA and how it affects the services we purchase and use.

By default, advertising and data tracking is turned off for Google Apps for Education users. No personal student information is collected for commercial purposes. If parents do not sign an opt out form, the school has permission to act as an agent for parents in the collection of information within the school context. The school may only use student information for education purposes.

Certain applications within Google Apps for Education require a minimum age (Google Plus being one example). These are turned off for elementary students and for students in the sixth and seventh grade, and they cannot be accessed by them. The core services in Google Apps for Education (email, calendar, Drive) do not “knowingly collect” student information and do not make any use of the information that is entered (like content of documents or email). As another precaution all students Kindergarten through 5th grade email is set up for internal use only.

COPPA allows public school districts to act as an “agent” in approving registrations and information sharing in certain cases as this, as long as the parent is given an opt-out.

Content Filtering

To comply with federal law, the District employs several methods of Internet content filtering and monitoring. For more information on content filtering, visit our Content Filtering Overview page.

Administrative Services

Detailed student data (such as demographics, attendance, grades, transcripts, test scores, etc) is shared with these services. Data is shared in accordance with law, with educational partners, or for hosted student data systems used by the district (library management, food service, etc.)

PowerSchool: This is our SIS (Student Information System) that records and coordinates all student information.

Naviance: Online service that helps high school students align high school academics with post-graduation goals. Naviance is hosted by the vendor.

Wyoming Department of Education (WDE): We share data with the WDE in accordance with State law and requirements. The WDE may share data with outside agencies according to their policies and law.

WY-TOPP: Wyoming State standardized testing. Student demographic data and test results are shared in accordance with State law.

Level Data: Service provider that provides automation between PowerSchool and many of are digital content providers to create users.

Destiny: Library management database hosted in-district.

MealTime: This is the district tool for food services in managing meals, and tracking the free and reduced lunch program.

Educators Handbook: This tool the district uses to track discipline across the district for school, district and state reporting.

Bell Photography: Service that manages student photos

Clever: Online service that assists in account management across different subscriptions and platforms.

Uinta County School District #1 has been using Bark for Schools to help us monitor school-issued accounts for signs of digital dangers for several years. When potential issues like cyberbullying, suicidal ideation, and threats of violence arise, Bark sends us a notification. Parents and guardians can benefit from receiving these alerts, as well.

Get Alerts With the Free Parent Portal

Kids use their school-issued accounts both at school and at home, and families are often in a better position to respond to urgent alerts after hours, on weekends, and during breaks. These are times when administration may not be available in the event of an emergency. In the coming days, you will receive an invitation to create your free account for the Bark for Schools Parent Portal. As soon as you opt in, you’ll start receiving after-hours alerts when Bark detects potentially time-sensitive issues.

Monitor Texts, Social Media, and More

Bark for Schools is free for both our school and for you. For even greater coverage, you can also sign up for Bark for Families, which monitors texts, chat, email, YouTube, and 30+ social media platforms for potential safety concerns. Uinta County School District #1 has secured a 20% discount for Bark for Families — you’ll only have to pay $7.20 per month to cover an unlimited number of accounts, devices, and children.

Thank you for your support as we strive to help keep our students safe both online and in real life.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are writing to inform you of a recent security incident involving PowerSchool, the provider of our student information system (SIS).  Yesterday, PowerSchool notified us of  a data breach that has impacted school districts nationwide. 

PowerSchool confirmed it suffered a cybersecurity incident that allowed a threat actor to steal the personal information of students and staff from school districts using its PowerSchool SIS platform.  PowerSchool has confirmed that the stolen data primarily contains contact details such as names and addresses.

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the breach also involved unauthorized access to our district PowerSchool system leading to the exposure of limited demographic data related to our students.

We want to assure you that the information involved is limited primarily to directory information for students and staff, such as demographic data like names, addresses, phone numbers. It did not include any financial, academic, or behavioral records.

PowerSchool has enacted their security protocols to contain the breach and has since taken significant steps to secure their systems, including password resets and enhanced security measures.

As a district we are deeply committed to maintaining the highest standards of data protection. While we have a number of systems in place to protect student data, this breach was out of our control.  However, PowerSchool has assured us that the breach is contained, and there is no evidence of ongoing unauthorized activity.  We will be staying vigilant and reviewing any related accounts for unusual activity as a precaution. We are working closely with the State of Wyoming Cyber Assistant Response Effort (CARE) as well as the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) to appropriately address this breach.

While we currently have no evidence of misuse of the exposed information, we encourage parents and guardians to remain vigilant. Monitor any communications and accounts linked to your directory information and report any suspicious activity.

PowerSchool will be releasing more information to affected districts worldwide, and as we get that information we will communicate that to you using a link found on the district’s website.

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we address this matter.  We remain dedicated to ensuring the safety and privacy of our students and staff.  If you have additional questions, please email us at psbreach@uinta1.com.

Sincerely,

Superintendent Ryan Thomas

FERPA Policy: https://uinta1.schoolblocks.com/en-US#item-34437

HIPPA Privacy: https://compliancy-group.com/the-hipaa-privacy-rule-and-facility-directories/

Notice of Intent to Designate Student Directory Information

Phishing

After breaches such as this cyber criminals will use the data acquired and begin phishing attempts as secondary attacks by using the email and phone numbers discovered from the primary attack.

Why do criminals use phishing, what does it look like and what behaviors should you adopt to protect yourself?

Phishing is a form of cyber attack where attackers attempt to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information or granting unauthorized access. It typically involves sending fraudulent emails and messages or creating fake websites that appear legitimate. The goal is to lure victims into entering their login credentials, financial details, or other private data. Phishing attacks often exploit human vulnerabilities, such as fear, curiosity, or urgency, to manipulate people into taking the desired action. Awareness and vigilance are crucial in recognizing and avoiding phishing attempts, which can lead to identity theft, financial loss, or system breaches. If you believe you have fallen for a phishing attack, change your password, turn off your machine, and contact the IT department.

Phishing Link Video

Letter from WY Office of Homeland Security Director to School Districts:

IT - PowerSchool Signed Letter

Additional Information:

Wyoming Statutes § 40-12-502 Wyoming Computer Security Breach Act

K12SIX 2025 PowerSchool Data Breach Update 1/9/25

K12SIX (K12 Security Information eXchange) Advisory:

K12SIX has been made aware that unsolicited contacts are being made by external parties to district/school personnel offering advice/requesting assistance regarding the PowerSchool SIS data breach. While we do not have specific evidence of phishing campaigns being launched against schools with this pretext, we anticipate that such campaigns could be launched as early as this weekend. It is also possible that such attacks could be targeted to students and parents. K12SIX recommends that school systems proactively remind school community members to report suspected phishing to security teams, including messages about PowerSchool, and to consider ensuring school staff and teachers know with whom to check for the legitimacy of information about the incident.